CH 45

“I won’t repeat myself. As long as I’m alive, Townsend estate will remain safe,” Gareth said. He knew how much Elena loved and cared about her home. That was the only reason why she had followed him here. He also knew that she wouldn’t be able to forget about her family and the people living in the estate. Still, he believed that if she lived together with him like this, then she would eventually realize what a mercenary’s life was like and understand him, at least for the sake of Townsend estate.

Elena sat up. Her body felt heavy from fatigue as she readjusted herself on the bed and covered herself with a clean sheet. She then looked around at her clothes for a moment, which were scattered on the floor like rags. She took a deep breath, then fixed her eyes on Gareth. “If you have any emotions, if you have a heart or a conscience, you wouldn’t have been able to become a mercenary,” she commented.

Gareth unknowingly flinched at her keen observation.

“I’ll accept it. I’ll accept that I’m not your wife, but a temporary trophy under the employment contract. From now on, I’ll just be Elena,” she continued.

“Are you saying that you’ll let go of the Townsend name?”

Elena closed her mouth and furrowed her eyebrows as if she was about to cry. She exhaled quietly, her breath sounding almost like a muffled sob.

‘This woman…’ Gareth inhaled sharply as he watched Elena’s expression change.

After a moment, Elena composed herself and opened her mouth. To Gareth’s surprise, she spoke with a firm voice, “I can’t defile my family’s name. If something happens to Townsend estate, that will be the end of our relationship. That’s when this contract will be over as well.”

* * *

Gareth washed his hands with cold water, then made his way to the long table in the hall while shaking off the remaining moisture. When he took his seat at the head of the table, the knights, who had been trying to read the atmosphere, sat down as well. Since Gareth had not given them the order to rest, they were still in their armors.

Madel, who had been waiting for Gareth to sit down with a worried expression, placed the reheated stew and freshly baked bread on the table in front of him.

“Please have some, my lord.”

Despite him not having gained his title back, Madel referred to Gareth by the title lord. This was because she had worked for Gareth’s father when he was alive. Gareth was now the sole heir to the family she had served in the past. She considered it a miracle that Gareth was alive and was able to reclaim this land again.

“When did Lydia get here?” Gareth asked. Even with the steaming food Madel was pushing towards him, he didn’t have much of an appetite.

“It’s been a week since she’s been here. Hurry and eat before the food gets cold, my lord,” Madel said earnestly as she placed a spoon in Gareth’s hand. “Oh, by the way, what should I do about her meals?”

“Nobody in my castle can eat in their room, Madel,” Gareth replied.

“B-but Princess Lydia is pregnant…”

Gareth immediately scrunched his face when he realized that Madel was worrying about Lydia instead of Elena. It was clear that Madel was giving special treatment to Lydia as she was the king’s sister and was pregnant.

“She told me it’s been six months and that the small size of her belly must be due to the terrible morning sickness,” Madel continued with a sorrowful, distressed voice. “If someone suffers from morning sickness for a prolonged amount of time, their stomach may be as small as hers for months. Still, Princess Lydia’s complexion looks fine, so the baby must be growing well. The child will be healthy and strong like you, my lord.”

Madel felt like she was in a dream ever since she heard the news that Lydia was carrying Gareth’s child. She was excited just by the thought of holding the child in her arms. She couldn’t believe Gareth was finally having a baby after the disaster he had been through, this also meant that there might be a possibility that he may settle down at the castle.

This was the happiest occasion she could ask for. That was why Madel didn’t care much about Lydia coming to the empty castle and pretending to be the lady of the household. She thought it was an obvious thing for her to do, since having children tended to make women impatient. Moreover, she was the king’s sister, which meant she probably had a lot of pride. For these reasons, Madel had been taking Lydia’s complaints very well. She glanced up to the second floor and showed a warm smile. Lydia was carrying Gareth’s baby. She was also a part of the royal family, which meant she could be of great help to Gareth.

Gareth mulled over Madel’s words for a moment. ‘Six months…’ Madel was a midwife who had witnessed and helped his mother through two births and many miscarriages. ‘She must be right then…’ Gareth thought. He then recalled what had happened six months ago, when he was at Viscount Gray’s estate. ‘How many people had I killed back then?’ He had been suffering from the overwhelming sense of bloodthirst when Lydia had suddenly visited him. ‘Does that mean she is bearing my child, after all? No, it can’t be.’

Gareth stared at Madel, who was excitedly thinking about a baby that might resemble him, and stated coldy, “Madel, it’s not my child.”

“What? B-but my lord—”

“It’s not mine,” Gareth said decisively, leaving no room for discussion. Madel glanced at her lord. She knew that the concept of family was a topic that troubled him more than death, as he had witnessed his beloved family die right in front of his eyes. Gareth had especially cherished his charming younger sister with red hair. Her name was Adelia, the daughter his mother had barely managed to give birth to after several miscarriages.